The selling price of loyalty
by Lynx Traveller
Summary: How does Cyclonus really see Galvatron?? G1. please R&R, this is one of my better ones.


Disclaimer: Until I buy 33% of Hasbro's shares and can order them to continue both G1 and BW, I don't own Beast wars.

Well, I'm back at uni again, and I've got a full case of writers block. This ones so bad that I'm afraid that such a long period of inactivity will drop me permanently out of the loop and I'll turn to games rather than Word to alleviate boredom…

Still, I'm fighting it, I'm not dead yet.

Hmm, even with the writer's block, I'd have to say that this is one of my better ones. I can see a lot of potential with series 3&4 characters, so I can see myself working them a bit more in the coming fics. Whenever that may be.

Bah, lets just get on with it

………

I heard the door close behind me, I didn't look back.

Even through the heavy door, I could still hear Galvatron screaming hysterically.

It should have been me in there taking his wrath.

The shrieking had reached a new level, then there was the high electrical whine of my leaders laser cannon.

The airlock again slid open and a sweep staggered out, meching heavily from a gaping wound in his lower chest. Any higher and it would have hit his spark case.

He stared at me apologetically, before doubling over in a foetal position with his wings wrapped around himself defensively. He lay there until Long haul and Hook arrived to transport him to the infirmary.

I stared blankly at the pool of mech fluid on the floor. I barely saw it as I stared through it reflectively.

Many of the other Decepticons had told me that I would make a far better leader.

Even though I saw such thoughts as treachery, even I had to admit that Galvatron's tempers were getting worse.

I'd spent many a night standing in the corner, silently watching my leader deal with the latest bout of mental anguish. I knew that he was screaming inside his head, that every effort of his quaking body was being put into not yelling out.

It pained me deeper than I'd ever known to see him that way.

I knew that it was Unicrons fault that he was this way, but I couldn't blame him.

I remembered that day well, the day when I first awoke.

There was such great joy. Being that close to Unicron was euphoric.

If I concentrated long enough I could still remember vague flashes of who I was before.

But even now they were fading. I couldn't remember any actual memories any more, just a few perceptions that my previous form felt.

But stronger were the things that I knew were impossible. I knew that if I really wanted to that I could harness the power of storms, or warp through solid objects. I knew that the concussion waves off my wings could stun even Optimus Prime. I knew that with a simple cerebro shell that I could control the mind of any enemy.

Except that I couldn't. My mind told me what my body couldn't achieve.

But I got off lightly. Unicron was too hard on Galvatron. 

He wanted ultimate subservience, but he overdid it.

Still, my own programming was strong enough. As much as I hate to admit it, if Unicron were to order me to kill Galvatron, I wouldn't have a choice.

I've heard from my troops that Megatron used to reward loyalty, but now Galvatron doesn't even seem to comprehend the term.

All he knows is how to punish failure. Soundwave used to be Megatrons most valued trooper, now he's barely even seen. Even when he's on monitor duty he has someone helping him. Even I can see that his talents are wasted; he's capable of so much more, to the point where simple monitor duty is below him.

But it's not my place to question Galvatron.

Then there's the triple changers. 

I'd heard that they rebelled once before, but after that they had an almost perfect track record.

And yet Galvatrons bounty on Octane was so large that even the most professional bounty hunters were even now tracking him down. I'd heard that even Deaths Head was after him.

Same for Blitzwing. He stood up to Galvatron just once and now he was barely seen anymore. Galvatron delighted in finding the most degrading and painful punishments for him; even now he was manually repairing the foundations of the Charr citadel, a job that was even below the Constructicons.

But then Galvatrons always operated on his own agenda.

Even immediately after the reformat, we'd been ordered to spare no effort in destroying the Matrix, and yet Galvatron was too obsessed with his own vendettas against Starscream.

That was the only time that I've ever actually allowed myself to question his orders; I knew that we should have destroyed the Autobots before they got a chance to recover, and yet all Galvatron cared about was wresting the Decepticons back, a task that surely could have waited.

But still, despite all his shortcomings, he's still my leader.

It's been said that true loyalty is only ever bestowed posthumously. With Galvatron even that isn't enough to be recognised.

I just hope that when the time comes for my own deactivation that I can look back and not have anything to regret. It would be nice for Galvatron to at least acknowledge my effort, but I know that even that's too much to ask.

"Cyclonus, it's your turn."

I sighed to myself and keyed the door open. I knew that my leader would most likely overreact like he had with the sweep, but it wasn't my place to question how Galvatron treated his troops. All I could do would be to accept it without showing weakness and hope that it wouldn't make too much work for the already overtaxed Constructicons.

………

Well, what'd you think?? Leave a review and tell me, 'coz otherwise I won't know if you read it or not. 


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